New York, NY (November 14, 2008) — The Custom Publishing Council’s (CPC) fifth annual Pearl Awards took place last night at the Rainbow Room, honoring the best in design, digital, editorial and strategic initiatives for B2B and consumer custom publications.  Dr. Samir Husni, Chair, Journalism Department at University of Mississippi, and Advertising Age Editor Jonah Bloom presented bronze, silver and gold awards to 53 companies in front of a packed audience of 150 CPC members and guests.

This year’s 614 entries were up from 570 last year, and represent 70 companies in six countries. Winning publications represent a wide range of industries and organizations, including: Cancer Prevention Works for the Prevent Cancer Foundation  (Rodale Custom Publishing); Deliver for USPS (Campbell-Ewald); The Approach for John Deere Golf (MacDUFF); Independent School for the National Association of Independent Schools (The Magazine Group); and Four Seasons Magazine for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts (Pace Communications). A complete list of winners is detailed below.

The editorial and design award categories focus on the best new, ongoing, and improved publications, while the strategy categories look at how well the publications complement the sponsoring organization’s integrated marketing campaigns, how well they achieve the organization’s goals, how well they prove a return on investment, and how innovative and effective a distribution strategy they employ. This year the digital category expanded, with a number of new subcategories—best integrated print and web program, best microsite, best achievement of corporate objectives, best web publication, and best e-newsletter among them.

“This is an exciting period of opportunity in the custom publishing industry. Marketers and their custom media partners are more innovative than ever” said Lori Rosen, Executive Director, CPC.  “To reflect this shift, we added a new category of awards this year—digital—to recognize custom media’s success in brand extension across multiple platforms.”

This year, Rodale Custom Publishing received the most Pearl Awards, with 22 wins, followed closely by Pace Communications, with 18 awards. McMurry Inc. took home 10 awards, while The Magazine Group received nine awards, and Leverage Media and Campbell-Ewald each garnered seven awards.   

Don Johnson, Editor-in-Chief, Meredith Integrated Marketing, was presented with the John Caldwell Lifetime Achievement Award recognizing his impact and contribution to the industry. He joined Meredith in 1980, and since then been instrumental in the creation and execution of some of custom media’s most innovative and award-winning programs for mega brands such as Chrysler, Binney & Smith, State Farm and Nestlé.

This year’s Best in Custom award, honoring overall excellence, was presented to Journal International Verlag for Centurion. Nxtbook Media sponsored the award, and the winner receives one year of free service to convert, post and optimize their winning publication online.

Winners are listed by category, title, custom publisher and client name, included in parentheses.

DESIGN | Best Cover Less Than 50,000
Gold: Luxury Travel Guide, Faircount Media Group (Rolls-Royce Owners Club)
Silver: HemAware, The Magazine Group (National Hemophilia Foundation)
Bronze: Ideal Comunitário, Cross Content (Instituto Camargo Corrêa)                                               
DESIGN | Best Cover 50,000 – 250,000
Gold: Ethisphere, Mindspace Inc. (The Ethisphere Institute)
Silver: Four Seasons Magazine, Pace Communications (Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts)
Bronze: Big Ideas in Technology, Leverage Media (Goodwin Procter LLP)

DESIGN | Best Cover More Than 250,000
Gold:  Deliver, Campbell-Ewald (USPS)        
Silver: Sky, Pace Communications (Delta)        
Bronze: Access, Meredith Integrated Marketing (DIRECTV)
                                                                                                           
DESIGN | Best Opening Spread | Less Than 250,000
Gold: Big Ideas in Technology, Leverage Media (Goodwin Procter LLP)                  
Silver: Realize, McMurry Inc. (Kaiser Permanente)                             
Bronze: Cleveland Clinic Magazine, The Magazine Group (Cleveland Clinic)

DESIGN | Best Opening Spread | More Than 250,000
Gold: All Animals, Time Inc. Content Solutions (The Humane Society of the U.S.)
Silver: Zoom-Zoom, Redwood Custom Communications (Mazda Canada Inc.)           
Bronze: Access, Meredith Integrated Marketing, (DIRECTV)

DESIGN | Best Overall | Less than 50,000
Gold: Gillette: The Best a Man Can Get, Time Inc. Content Solutions (Gillette)         
Silver: MCOm, McMurry Inc. (McMurry Inc.)
Bronze: Design Annual, Staywell Custom Communications (Staywell Custom Communications)            

DESIGN | Best Overall | 50,000 – 250,000
Gold:   Momentum, Journal International Verlag, (Glashütte Uhrenbetrieb GmBH)
Silver:  Proto, Time Inc. Content Solutions (Massachusetts General Hospital)
Bronze:  Four Seasons Magazine, Pace Communications (Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts)

DESIGN | Best Overall | More than 250,000
Gold:  Deliver, Campbell-Ewald (USPS)
Silver: Pure Canada, Spafax Canada (Canadian Tourism Commission)
Bronze: Shine, Transcontinental Custom Communications (Dove/Unilever)

DESIGN | Best New Magazine  
Gold: ThinkMoney, T3 Publishing, (thinkorswim)
Silver: Goodyear Serwis, Novimedia (Goodyear Polska)
Bronze: Seasons, Redwood Custom Communications (Ridgetop Communications, LLC)

DESIGN | Best New Newsletter
Gold: Solage, DCP, (Solage Hotels & Resorts)
Silver: RED, Rogers Publishing, Ltd. (RCI)
Bronze: Cancer Prevention Works, Rodale Custom Publishing (The Prevent Cancer Foundation)
 
DESIGN | Most Improved Publication| Less Than 50,000 
Gold: Draeger’s Cooking, DCP (Draeger’s)
Silver: The Approach, MacDUFF (John Deere Golf)
Bronze: Metro Plus Health Letter, McMurry Inc. (Metro Plus)
 
DESIGN | Most Improved Publication| More Than 50,000 
Gold: Escape, Great Water Media (Sun Country Airlines)
Silver: Tourneau Times, Rodale Custom Publishing (Tourneau)
Bronze: AAA Traveler, Pace Communications (CSAA)

DESIGN | Best Special Issue
Gold: Capital Thinking, Leverage Media (Patton Boggs LLC)
Silver: 2008 Masters Journal, Golf Digest Publications (Augusta National Golf Club)
Bronze: Endless Vacation, Story Worldwide (RCI)

DESIGN | One-Shot
Gold: Next*, DCP (Chevron)
Silver: Advisor Life, Pace Communications (Wachovia Securities)
Bronze: 2008 Shale Gas Resources Map, Hart Energy Publishing (E&P Magazine)

DESIGN | Best Use of Photography | Less Than 50,000
Gold: Experience Bermuda 2008/09, HCP/Aboard Publishing (Bermuda Hotel)
Silver: The Mills: Retail Versatility, Pentom Custom Meida (Simon Property Group)
Bronze: Independent School, The Magazine Group (National Association of Independent Schools)
DESIGN | Best Use of Photography | 50,000 - 250,000
Gold: Four Seasons Magazine, Pace Communications (Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts)
Silver: EnRoute, Spafax (Air Canada)
Bronze: The Ritz-Carlton, McMurry Inc. (The Ritz-Carlton)

DESIGN | Best Use of Photography | More than 250,000
Gold: Hemispheres Magazine, Pace Communications (United Airlines)
Silver: Spirit, Pace Communications (Southwest Airlines)
Bronze: Rouge, Javelin Custom Publishing (Procter & Gamble)
 
DESIGN | Best Use of Illustration | Less Than 50,000
Gold: Independent School, The Magazine Group (National Association of Independent Schools)
Silver: In Good Health, Hope Health Custom (Qwest Communications)
Bronze: Capital Thinking, Leverage Media (Patton Boggs LLC)

DESIGN | Best Use of Illustration | 50,000 – 250,000
Gold: Little Brown Book, Rodale Custom Publishing (Bloomingdale’s)
Silver: You Magazine, McMurry Inc. (Northwest Community Hospital)
Bronze: Proto, Time Inc. Content Solutions (Massachusetts General Hospital)
 
DESIGN | Best Use of Illustration | More Than 250,000
Gold: Sky, Pace Communications (Delta)
Silver: Deliver, Campbell-Ewald (USPS)
Bronze: New Outlook, Redwood Custom Communications (Sears Canada Inc.)
 
DESIGN | Best Use of Typography
Gold: Hemispheres Magazine, Pace Communications (United Airlines)
Silver: Pechanga Play!, McMurry Inc. (Pechanga Resort & Casino)
Bronze: HemAware, The Magazine Group (National Hemophilia Foundation)

DESIGN | Best Tie-In with Corporate Marketing  
Gold: On Investing, Custom Solutions from Smart Money (Charles Schwab)
Silver: Bei Uns Zu Hause, Kircher Burkhardt GmBH (Kraft Foods Deutschland GmBH)
Bronze: AT&T, Time Inc. Content Solutions (AT&T)
 
DIGITAL | Best Integrated Print and Web Program  
Gold: Stir, Hanley Wood Marketing (Sherwin-Williams)
Silver: The Knot/The Nest, The Knot Inc. (State Farm)
Bronze: Lexus Magazine, Story Worldwide (Lexus)
 
DIGITAL | Best Web Publication  
Gold: F2, Fader Media (Timberland)
Silver: You24 Online Magazine, Rodale Custom Publishing (24 Hour Fitness)
Bronze: Cobalt-Create Your Own, Campbell-Ewald (Chevrolet)

DIGITAL | Best E-Newsletter
Gold: On Air, Spafax Canada (Air Canada)
Silver: Stir eExtra, Hanley Wood Marketing (Sherwin-Williams)
Bronze: Focus, McMurry Inc. (Humana)
 
DIGITAL | Best Microsite
Gold: Junta42.com, WhiteSpace Creative / Z Squared Media (Junta42)
Silver: Janus Report, McMurry Inc. (Janus)
 
DIGITAL | Best Blog
Gold: Junta42 Blog, Z Squared Media (Junta42)
 
DIGITAL | Best Use of Alternative Media or Multimedia Technology
Gold: National Small Business Summit Website, Hammock Inc. (NFIB)
Silver: Behind the Team, The Marketing Arm (AT&T)
Bronze: ASAE Gold Circle Awards Online Video, The Magazine Group (ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership)
 
DIGITAL | Best Interactive Tool
Gold: You24 Online Magazine, Rodale Custom Publishing (24 Hour Fitness)

DIGITAL | Best Web Feature or Article
Gold: You24 Online Magazine, Rodale Custom Publishing (24 Hour Fitness)
Silver: Dog’s Life, D Custom (Nestle Purina PetCare Company)
Bronze: You24 Online Magazine, Rodale Custom Publishing (24 Hour Fitness)

DIGITAL | Best Overall Web Design
Gold: Cygnuscustommarketing.com, Cygnus Business Media (Cygnus Business Media)
Silver: You24 Online Magazine, Rodale Custom Publishing (24 Hour Fitness)
Bronze: Lexus Magazine Online, Story Worldwide (Lexus)

DIGITAL | Best Achievement of Corporate Objectives
Gold: Lamaze: Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond Online Magazine Extension, Rodale Custom Publishing (Lamaze International)
Silver: TenetNurse.com, Gannett Healthcare Group (Tenet Health)
Bronze:VitalCare, The Pohly Company (American College of Emergency Physicians Foundation)

DIGITAL | Best Launch or Relaunch
Gold: Guide 2 Gaming, Future Plus (Best Buy)
Silver: You24 Online Magazine, Rodale Custom Publishing (24 Hour Fitness)
Bronze: Lexus Magazine Online, Story Worldwide (Lexus)

EDITORIAL | Best Cover Lines
Gold: CBS Watch!, McMurry Inc. (CBS Television)
Silver: US Airways Magazine, Pace Communications (US Airways)
Bronze: WebMD the Magazine, The Magazine Group (WebMD)
 
EDITORIAL | Best Feature Article/Package |Less Than 250,000
Gold: Captial Thinking, Leverage Media (Patton Boggs LLC)
Silver: Renaissance, Pace Communications (Wachovia)
Bronze: Nyse Magazine, Time Inc. Content Solutions (NYSE Euronext)

EDITORIAL | Best Feature Article/Package |More Than 250,000
Gold: Look Good Feel Better, Transcontinental Custom Communications (The Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Foundation)
Silver: All Animals, Time Inc. Content Solutions (The Humane Society of the U.S.)
Bronze: About Health, McMurry Inc. (Gateway Regional Medical Center)

EDITORIAL | Best Overall |Less Than 50,000
Gold: Centurion, Journal International Verlag (American Express Services Europe Ltd.)
Silver: 360˚ The Merrill Lynch Leadership Magazine, Spot On media (Merrill Lynch)
Bronze: American Spirit, Hammock, Inc. (DAR)
 
EDITORIAL | Best Overall |50,000 – 250,000
Gold: Cleveland Clinic Magazine, The Magazine Group (Cleveland Clinic)
Silver: Big Ideas in Technology, Leverage Media (Goodwin Procter LLP)
Bronze: Cent$, AA Publishing (AA Credit Union)

EDITORIAL | Best Overall More Than 250,000
Gold: Acura Style, Javelin Custom Publishing (American Honda Motor Company Inc.)
Silver: Lasting Moments, Meredith Integrated Marketing (Creative Memories)
Bronze: Pure Canada, Spafax Canada (Canadian Tourism Commission)

EDITORIAL | Best New Magazine
Gold: Are You? CENTRAL, Emphasis Media Limited (Hong Kong Land)
Silver: Mobile, Spafax Canada (Bell Mobility)
Bronze: Whole Foods Market, Active Interest Media (Whole Foods Market)

EDITORIAL | Best New Newsletter
Gold: Cancer Prevention Works, Rodale Custom Publishing (The Prevent Cancer Foundation)
Silver: Eco@Home, Lexicon (IAMU)
Bronze: UPS Compass, Story Worldwide (UPS)

EDITORIAL | Most Improved Publication
Gold: Girl Scout Leader, Spot On media (Girl Scouts of the USA)
Silver: The Approach, MacDUFF (John Deere Golf)
Bronze: Four Seasons Magazine, Pace Communications (Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts)

EDITORIAL | Best Column
Gold: Diane, Rodale Custom Publishing (Curves International)
Silver: US Airways Magazine, Pace Communications (US Airways)
Bronze: Cabela's Outfitter Journal, Grand View Media Group (Cabela's)

EDITORIAL | Best Regular Department
Gold: Hemispheres Magazine, Pace Communications (United Airlines)
Silver: Little Brown Book, Rodale Custom Publishing (Bloomingdale's)
Bronze: Four Seasons Magazine, Pace Communications (Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts)

EDITORIAL | Best Special Issue
Gold: Little Pink Book, Rodale Custom Publishing (Bloomingdale's)
Silver: Fresh, The Pohly Company (Hannaford Bros. Supermarkets)
Bronze: Deliver, Campbell-Ewald (USPS)

EDITORIAL | Best One-Shot
Gold: Fight On, Doubledown Media   (University of Pennsylvania)
Silver: MasterCraft, D Custom (MasterCraft)
Bronze: Next*, DCP (Chevron)

EDITORIAL | Best International Publication
Gold: Automation Today Asia Pacific, Penton Custom Media (Rockwell Automation)
Silver: Four Seasons Magazine, Pace Communications (Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts)
Bronze: Lamaze: Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond, Rodale Custom Publishing (Lamaze International)

STRATEGY | Best Tie-in with Corporate Integrated Marketing Campaign
Gold: Smart & Simple, Rodale Custom Publishing (Tylenol)
Silver: Shine, Transcontinental Custom Communications (Dove/Unilever)
Bronze: Little Pink Book, Rodale Custom Publishing (Bloomingdale's)

STRATEGY | Best Achievement of Corporate Objectives | B2B
Gold: Wal-Mart World, Rodale Custom Publishing (World      Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.)
Silver: Good Fun, DCP (Frito-Lay)
Bronze: Advisor Life, Pace Communications (Wachovia Securities)

STRATEGY | Best Achievement of Corporate Objectives | B2C
Gold: Little Brown Book, Rodale Custom Publishing (Bloomingdale's)
Silver: WebMD the Magazine, The Magazine Group (WebMD)
Bronze: Look Good Feel Better, Transcontinental Custom Communications (The Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Foundation)

STRATEGY | Proof of Return on Investment
Gold: Little Pink Book, Rodale Custom Publishing (Bloomingdale's)
Silver: Mobile, Spafax Canada (Bell Mobility)
Bronze: Corvette Quarterly, Campbell-Ewald (Chevrolet)
 
STRATEGY | Best Distribution Strategy
Gold: Deliver, Campbell-Ewald (USPS)
Silver: Air Miles Inspired Living,  Rogers Publishing, Ltd. (Air Miles)
Bronze: VitalCare, The Pohly Company (American College of Emergency Physicians Foundation)

STRATEGY | Best Launch or Relaunch | B2B
Gold: Wal-Mart World, Rodale Custom Publishing (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.)
Silver: FedEx Kinko’s We, Hanley Wood Marketing (FedEx Kinko’s)  
Bronze: The Year in Preview 2008, Leverage Media     (Winston & Strawn)

STRATEGY | Best Launch or Relaunch | B2C
Gold: Lamaze: Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond, Rodale Custom Publishing (Lamaze International)
Silver: Show Magazine, Spafax Canada (Bell TV)
Bronze: Keeping You Healthy, Staywell Custom Communications (Montefiore)
 
BEST IN CUSTOM : HONORING OVERALL EXCELLENCE
The Best in Custom Award recognizes products that achieve overall excellence in the following categories: editorial, design, strategy, distribution, and fulfillment of the client’s marketing objectives. This year’s award was presented to Centurion, published by Journal International Verlag.

Best in Custom Finalists:

Little Brown Book, Rodale Custom Publishing
Wal-Mart World, Rodale Custom Publishing
Gillette: The Best a Man Can Get, Time Inc. Content Solutions
Momentum, Journal International Verlag
Deliver: Campbell-Ewald
Hemispheres Magazine, Page Communications
Centurion, Journal International Verlag
Cleveland Clinic Magazine, The Magazine Group
Acura Style, Javelin Custom Publishing

The CPC is the leading professional organization representing custom publishers in North America.  Founded in 1998, the organization has seen its membership more than double in the last two years.  All custom publishing companies, including independent custom publishers, divisions of larger publishing houses, advertising agencies, and other media conglomerates—whether or not they were currently members of the CPC—were invited to enter the competition. Judges were key marketing executives, academics, journalists, designers, corporate strategists and publishers.

For a complete list of finalists, visit www.custompublishingcouncil.com.